Disgraced blockbuster filmmaker John McTiernan is hoping to make a major comeback with a new film starring John Travolta.

The director of films Predator and Die Hard was jailed for lying to federal investigators about the number of times he had hired rogue private eye and wiretapper, Anthony Pellicano, who himself had been charged with wiretapping and racketeering offences.

Jailed film director John McTiernan. Photo: Reuters

McTiernan spent 10 months behind bars after pleading guilty to lying to law enforcement officers investigating him for hiring Pellicano to wiretap a producer.

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McTiernan revealed his professional plans to a judge during a bankruptcy dispute with officials of the First Interstate Bank, who want to foreclose on his ranch in Wyoming. McTiernan is battling to save his home.

During a hearing on Wednesday, the director told US Bankruptcy Judge Peter McNiff about his comeback plans.

In a bid to prove he'll soon be cash-rich again, McTiernan's lawyer revealed his client has "north of $US2.5 million ($2.70 million) on the projects he has on the table".

"One of them is sealed and in the bank," the lawyer said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Testifying in court, the moviemaker said: "I want to re-establish my career and rebuild my life."

McTiernan revealed he has completed work on three screenplays and the "sealed" deal is a film called Warbirds, which will star Travolta and potentially feature Johnny Knoxville and Queen Latifah, who have been offered roles.

An executive at Hannibal Pictures, the company behind the film, has confirmed the project has been given the go-ahead.

McTiernan said: "They (producers) offered (me) a million so far (to make the film). My agent is still hoping to get one million and a quarter."

The director also revealed he is trying to convince producers on another potential project not to hire Arnold Schwarzenegger, explaining, "It's a bad idea. I have to convince them not to."

And it seems his movie talk impressed the judge, who stated, "It is very interesting to hear you", as McTiernan stepped down from the witness stand.

WENN

3 comments so far

Just let him do Die Hard 6. He directed to two best ones, I'm confident he can make another great one.

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Herb

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September 02, 2014, 1:23PM

'He revealed he has completed work on three screenplays and the "sealed" deal is a film called Warbirds, which will star Travolta and potentially feature Johnny Knoxville and Queen Latifah, who have been offered roles.'

No, thank you.

Commenter

elwyn5150

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September 02, 2014, 3:40PM

Mctiernan was the best action filmmaker in his day with PREDATOR, DIE HARD 1 & 3, THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER until he stumbled with THE MEDICINE MAN and the goddamn awful ROLLERBALL remake and the ordinary BASIC. If Mctirenan can get back to the excellence of his early days of action filmmaking everyone will be better off then these PG 13 offerings we get today